The Life of Leon Trotsky

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The Life of Leon Trotsky

Leon Trotsky is well recognised as one of the greatest Marxists that

ever lived. After being arrested, sentenced to exile twice and

supporting the Mensheviks, Trotsky was deported to New York Citywhere

he was to be a peaceful, productive member of society. Following the

removal of the Tsar during the Russian Revolution, Trotsky returned to

Russia in May 1917.

In August 1917, Trotsky joined the Central Committee of the Bolshevik

party whose leader was none other than Vladimir Lenin. Trotsky assumed

key roles in the events and policies concerning the Bolshevik

Government, which included the Bolshevik Revolution, Treaty of

Brest-Litovsk, the Civil War and views on Russia's economic policies.

The Bolshevik party focused on their one aim: overthrow the

Provisional Government and replace it with a "dictatorship of the

proletariat". Support from the people grew when they witnessed the

Provisional Government fail in their all-out military attack in July.

The Bolsheviks took advantage of this opportunity creating meaningful

slogans for the people such as "end the war," "all land to the

peasants," and "all power to the soviets." On the 12th of October 1917

the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC) was established, lead by

Trotsky they planned to fight against the Provisional Government. On

the night of November 6th the MRC ordered the Red Guards and other

loyal units of soldiers to seize the key points of the city, which was

successful in securing Bolshevik power. Thus Trotsky's leadership of

the MRC and the success of the revolution, earned Trotsky Lenin's

respect and confidence as well as the appointment of Min...

... middle of paper ...

... A. Available Online:

http://www.trotsky.net/trotsky_year/in_memory_of_trotsky.html

[20/02/04]

Leon Trotsky. (2004). Wikipedia Team. Available Online:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Trotsky [18/02/04]

McAndrew. M. & Thomas. D. (2000) Russia Soviet Union 1917-1945: From

Tsar to Stalin. Australia: Cambridge University Press.

Russian Revolution: The Civil War of 1918-20. (2001) The Columbia

Encyclopaedia. Available Online:

http://www.bartleby.com/65/ru/RussianR.html [25/02/04]

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. (2001) The Columbia Encyclopaedia. Available

Online: http://www.bartleby.com/65/br/BrestLit.html [25/02/04]

Trotsky, Leon: Revolutionary Leadership. (2004). Microsoft Encarta

Online. Available Online:

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557000/Leon_Trotsky_Bolshevik_Party_organizer.html

[27/02/04]

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